In November of last year, 22-year-old Charda Gregory went to a party in Detroit, Michigan. WXYZ Action News reports that Gregory believes that while at the party she was drugged. When she regained consciousness in a different place, a motel room in Warren, Michigan. Before she knew it, Gregory was being arrested for trashing the room and was taken to jail located inside the Warren Police Department. Sadly enough, the police station did not prove to be a safe harbor.
WJBK Fox 2 News reports that Gregory had also been arrested for assaulting a police officer, so she had been pepper sprayed by the time she had been brought to the jail. While calm, she could barely stand. The young mother, who is also a hair dresser, was then approached by Officer Bernadette Najor. Officer Najor started to pat down Gregory rather roughly. It appears that Gregory started to resist. It was then that Najor and three other officers strapped her into a chair.
Chandra Gregory (WXYZ)
Paul Misukewicz, Gregory’s attorney, told WXYZ that the officer then did something bizarre, “[Najor] took it upon herself to get the scissors. And for whatever reason, decided that she was going to butcher my client.”
Over the course of three minutes, Najor hacked away at Gregory’s weave. Often officers will remove hair extension clips because they can be used as weapons in a pinch. However, Gregory’s weave was not clipped in, but sewn in. Because of the work done to her scalp by Najor, Ms. Gregory says tahat she now has bald spot. Misukewicz characterized it as “sadistic.”
When Warren Police Commissioner Jere Green, City Attorney David Griem, and other local officials learned of the incident, they quickly decided to fire Officer Najor. Commissioner Green told WXYZ, “I don’t buy that’s the proper way to treat a human being. I don’t think it’s decent, I don’t think there was any reason to do it, and when I look at it – that bothers me.” Griem told WJBK, "There is a policy about removing wigs, but, that doesn't cover scalping a person.”
WJBK reports that David Griem told them that Ms. Gregory settled a lawsuit with Warren out of court. The criminal charges that were filed against her at the time have been dismissed.
As for the now former police officer, Bernadette Najor, she refused to talk to WXYZ about the matter. The station found out she has had disciplinary problems in the past. WJBK reports that the officers who were there but did nothing to stop Najor probably won’t be fired, but may be disciplined.
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